Sunday, September 16, 2012

Together...

As we make the transition back to Canada, I am being challenged and stretched in so many ways. One way is a changing perspective on pain, suffering, and challenge. As people reach out to me, I am appreciating the power of walking together in a new light. I am seeing in a new way the power of being present, of simply sitting with one who is in pain.

God Himself is in the business of being present, of walking us through hard times. In the moment of pain, He simply promises to be there. He doesn't promise to change our circumstances, but He promises to change us and grow us as we allow Him to do so. He promises that He knows all things and that His plan is good: He doesn't explain His plans or expect us to understand His ways. In fact, He says His ways are so far above us that we cannot understand them. He says we see through a glass darkly, and He doesn't promise to illuminate our current circumstance.

So I ponder this walking together, living daily as the Body of Christ. And I'm seeing that walking together is about pursuing God together, about holding onto faith ourselves. It's about functioning as a Body, lifting up the weak and admitting that sometimes we are the weak. It's simply being there and knowing God is there. Bearing one another's burdens.

Together. It's a beautiful concept and an even more incredible reality!

2 comments:

us5 said...

great thoughts. i just ran across this quote yesterday, and your comments recalled it to mind... "The first service one owes to others in the fellowship consists in listening to them. Just as love of God begins in listening to His Word, so the beginning of love for the brethren is learning to listen to them. It is God's love for us that He not only gives us His Word but lends us His ear. So it is His work that we do for our brother when we learn to listen to him."

-Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Garry and Cynthia Barkman said...

thanks, us5-- love that quote! pray your day is blessed as you walk together with your family and your team there...